Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Family and close friends are sitting a 24-hour vigil with family matriarch and respected elder Irene Sanderson this week in Fort Smith. Despite being ill for many months, Irene has remained the strong woman she’s always been, not complaining about her lot in life, not even to say why me after receiving a terminal diagnosis. She’s a testament of strength to her children, her relations, and her friends.
Irene is a trapper’s daughter, born and raised in the bush at Ambers Portage between Fort Chipewyan and Fort McMurray. She became a trapper’s wife in Fort Smith, where her eight children were born and raised. Charlie, Elaine, Sam, Lisa, Sandy, Andrew, Alma and Ray grew up learning and living the traditional life their mother taught to them. Hunting, fishing, trapping, cutting dry meat and hanging dry fish, you name it. Irene taught her children how to survive in the bush and respect the traditional lifestyle. Her children knew how to hunt moose and make bannock on a wood stove, long before they knew how to turn on an electric oven or buy meat from Kaiser’s Store.
I’ve known Irene Sanderson for a long time. She’s been a long-time supporter who brought bannock to my constituency office many times over the years. You can bet that when she takes a stand on an issue, Irene’s not shy to speak her mind or stand her ground. Like the time she became upset about the ban on caribou hunting. Irene even stopped talking to me for awhile. I’m told that her daughter Lisa reminded her mom of those years on the trap line at Burnt Lake, when Irene would stop trapping beaver and muskrat for a few seasons to give them time to restock. Lisa reminded her mom, it’s the same thing he’s doing for the caribou.
Irene spent a lifetime teaching what she knows best to her children, her 16 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Most of them continue to live in Fort Smith. She’s known for sharing her home with other families in need, welcoming and treating the children as though they were her own. Irene has lived a clean and sober life filled with lots of love, laughter and compassion. I understand she called the family home last week to spend time with each person, reminiscing about the old times, and to say goodbye individually to the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to whom she has devoted her entire life.
Irene Sanderson’s children are her legacy to Fort Smith and the North. She shared with them a lifetime of invaluable knowledge on how to thrive and live off the bounty of the land. At the same time Irene taught her children the importance of being kind and respectful to people whose lives they touch and be respectful and loving of each other.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
MEMBER’S STATEMENT ON
CONGRATULATIONS TO TU NEDHE RECIPIENTS OF THE PREMIER’S AWARDS
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That’s very touching.
I wanted to congratulate Tu Nedhe recipients of the Premier’s awards today for the Premier’s Award for Collaboration on the Slave River and Delta Partnership Team. We had two members from Fort Resolution, Patrick Simon and Tausia Lal.
Also, the Premier’s Award of Excellence for the team award recipients went to the Deninu School in Fort Resolution, and the principal was here to receive the award for all the teachers and administrators over there. That’s an excellent school. Each time I come into Fort Resolution and I have an opportunity, I attend the school. It is full of life, so I was very pleased to see that recognized. They have done a lot for their students in Fort Resolution. I just wanted to say congratulations to the Deninu School team.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Before we continue, I just want to say our thoughts and prayers are with the Sanderson family. To all people in the territory, I guess, we have Members here with family in the hospital. Our thoughts and prayers are with you from the Legislative Assembly. God bless you and a quick recovery.
